1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates in general to computer-implemented testing systems, and, in particular, to a configurable stresser for a Web server.
2. Description of Related Art
The Internet is a collection of computer networks that exchange information via Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol (xe2x80x9cTCP/IPxe2x80x9d). The Internet computer network consists of many internet networks, each of which is a single network that uses the TCP/IP protocol suite. Currently, the use of the Internet computer network for commercial and non-commercial uses is exploding. Via its networks, the Internet computer network enables many users in different locations to access information stored in data sources (e.g., databases) stored in different locations.
The World Wide Web (i.e., the xe2x80x9cWWWxe2x80x9d or the xe2x80x9cWebxe2x80x9d) is a hypertext information and communication system used on the Internet computer network with data communications operating according to a client/server model. Typically, a Web client computer will request data stored in data sources from a Web server computer, at which Web server software resides. The Web server software interacts with an interface connected to, for example, a Database Management System (xe2x80x9cDBMSxe2x80x9d), which is connected to the data sources. These computer programs residing at the Web server computer will retrieve the data and transmit the data to the client computer. The data can be any type of information, including database data, static data, HTML data, or dynamically generated data.
Traditional techniques for testing computer programs on a Web server computer do not test real world models. That is, the traditional techniques do not test computer programs residing at the Web server in conjunction with typical conditions on the network. Instead, only particular computer programs on the Web server computer are tested (i.e., regression testing) or predefined tests are run on the computer programs that provide performance results only. There is a need in the art for improved testing of computer programs on a Web server.
To overcome the limitations in the prior art described above, and to overcome other limitations that will become apparent upon reading and understanding the present specification, the present invention discloses a method, apparatus, and article of manufacture for a computer implemented configurable stresser.
In accordance with the present invention, a server computer is tested by transmitting commands to the server computer from a client computer which is connected via a network. Each command is performed by the server computer to access data from a data source stored on a data storage device connected to the server computer. In particular, at the client computer, one or more virtual browsers are created for transmitting commands to the server computer. Compared test results are received from each virtual browser indicating a response to each transmitted command received from the server computer. The received test results are consolidated into a report of compared test results.
An object of the invention is to provide improved testing of Web servers on the internet. Another object of the invention is to provide testing of Web servers in a real world environment using simulated virtual Web browsers. Yet another object of the invention is to enable users to create tests for their particular Web server environments. An additional object of the invention is to combine regression and performance testing, which is required in current Web Server environments.